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STUDENT HANDBOOKMaster of Science ProgramRefugee and Forced Migration StudiesMarch 2020Refugee and Forced Migration Studies14 E Jackson Blvd.Ste. 1628DePaul University Chicago, Illinois 60604 USAEmail: ssharma@depaul.eduTelephone: 773 325 7838
RFMS Student Handbook 2I.IntroductionThe Refugee and Forced Migration Studies program at DePaul University offers aMaster of Science degree which balances academic and practical training forstudents who wish to work in many different facets of refugee aid.This handbook describes the MS program’s procedures and policies. All faculty, staff,and students in the department should familiarize themselves with these proceduresand policies.Contact InformationFor additional guidance, students should contact their assigned faculty advisors or theprogram director:Program Director:Dr. Shailja Sharmassharma@depaul.edu773.325.7838Program Committee & Faculty Advisors:Ms. Elizabeth WardEward3@depaul.edu312.362.5721Dr. Nezih Altaynaltay@depaul.edu312.362.8313Dr. Howard Rosinghrosing@depaul.edu773.325.7463Dr. Rajit Mazumderrmazumde@depaul.edu773.325.4189Dr. Siobhan Albiolsalbiol@depaul.edu312.362.8292Dr. Mark Frigomfrigo@depaul.edu312.362.8784Rev. Craig Mousincmousin@depaul.eduDr. Isidore Udohiudoh@depaul.eduDr. Ramya Ramanathrramanat@depaul.edu312.362.7708
RFMS Student Handbook 3II. Admission Requirements and ProceduresInquiriesThe Refugee and Forced Migration Studies program welcomes inquiries fromprospective applicants about its MS program. For information, prospectiveapplicants may contact The Office of Graduate Admission in the College of Liberal Arts and SocialSciences (LAS) at graddepaul@depaul.eduThe Director of the Refugee & Forced Migration Studies program, Dr.Shailja Sharma, at ssharma@depaul.eduStudent Program Assistant, Ms. Alex Ross, at akross94@gmail.comVisitors to campus will find the director’s office in the International Studies departmentin Suite 1628 of 14 E Jackson Boulevard, located on DePaul’s Loop Campus. Theoffices are open Monday through Friday from 8am to 5pm. Meetings with the directorare generally by appointment only.Admission RequirementsThe official statement of admission requirements for the MS program in Refugeeand Forced Migration Studies is the current version of the DePaul UniversityCatalog, available at fault.aspx.To be eligible for admission to the MS program in Refugee and Forced MigrationStudies, students must have A bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, BFA, Bed, etc.) from an accredited college oruniversity in the United States, or the equivalent degree from a college oruniversity outside the United StatesAlthough we admit students throughout the year, they all begin the program inSeptember. Each cohort takes classes together, as this is a highly structuredprogram. Students are required to take two courses per quarter.Admission ProceduresAll applicants may apply at http://go.depaul.edu/apply.All applications require: a completed application form
RFMS Student Handbook 4 official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended two letters of recommendation from academic or professional references a statement of purpose that explains the applicant’s areas of professionalinterest and reasons for seeking advanced training in refugee aida sample of academic writing of at least 3000 words. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their names appear on all documentssubmitted with their applications.Applicants may submit the required documents and credentials online at http://go.depaul.edu/apply or by email to graddepaul@depaul.edu. Colleges anduniversities may email official electronic transcripts directly tograddepaul@depaul.edu.Applicants may also send paper copies of transcripts and other required credentialsby postal mail to:The Office of Graduate AdmissionCollege of Liberal Arts and SocialSciences DePaul University2400 N. SheffieldAve. Chicago, IL60614Additional procedures for international studentsStudents educated outside the United States must present proof of Englishproficiency, as demonstrated by a minimum score of 90 on the TOEFL IBT, or theequivalent score on the computer-based test, paper-based test, or IELTS.Students educated outside the U.S. and/or who require an F1 visa must completeadditional steps for admission. Review at ages/international-admission.aspx.Review of applicationsThe Office of Graduate Admission in DePaul’s College of Liberal Arts and SocialSciences (LAS) receives and processes all applications to the MS program inRefugee and Forced Migration Studies. The Refugee and Forced Migration StudiesProgram does not accept or process applications.Once an application is complete, the Office of Graduate Admission notifies the
RFMS Student Handbook 5Admission Board in the RFMS program that the application is ready for review, whichtypically requires one week.Applicants may check the status of their application through Campus Connect, athttps://www.campusconnect.depaul.edu, to verify receipt of all supportingdocuments. “Campus Connect” is the University’s Web portal for access to alladministrative systems for students, faculty, and staff.Failure to submit all supporting documents can delay review of applications.Applicants accepted to the MS program in Refugee & Forced Migration Studies willreceive official notice of their acceptance from the Office of Graduate Admission inDePaul’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.
RFMS Student Handbook 6III. Enrollment and RegistrationApplicants accepted to the MS program in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies willreceive official notice of their acceptance from the Office of Graduate Admission inDePaul’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. Once applicants receive noticeof their acceptance, they must take the following steps to begin their participation inthe program.Matriculation (“intent to enroll”)All students’ first step is to complete the “Intent to Enroll” form available online fromthe LAS website, g this form notifies the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences thataccepted students intend to enroll at DePaul in the quarter stated by their admissionletter. Within one or two business days, they will receive an email acknowledgingactivation of their student records.IMPORTANT: Accepted applicants will not become active DePaul students,eligible for enrollment and class registration, until they complete the “Intent toEnroll” form.Enrollment, registration, and student IDAfter completing the “intent to enroll,” all students should receive an email, eitherfrom the program assistant or their faculty advisor, which will help them plan theirschedule of courses for their first year in the MS program.All students at DePaul University may register for classes online, at https://www.campusconnect.depaul.edu/.Only active DePaul students can register online for classes via Campus Connect.For a tutorial on how to add, drop, and swap courses, or to join the waitlist for acourse, visit resources/learningcenter/Pages/default.aspx and click ‘Registration Overview’.Once students have registered for classes, they may obtain their student ID card fromStudent ID Services, located on the first floor of the Student Center on the Lincoln ParkCampus.
RFMS Student Handbook 7Course LoadStudents in graduate programs at DePaul University normally take two courses perterm (Autumn, Winter, and Spring) during the academic year. Two courses per term isa “full-time” course load for graduate students at DePaul. Courses may also beavailable during theUniversity’s summer term. Not all courses listed in the University’s catalog areavailable during every academic year. To determine the classes available during anyterm, consult the schedule available online in Campus Connect.DePaul policiesAll faculty, staff, and students participating in the MS in Refugee and ForcedMigration Studies program must follow all relevant University policies. Especiallyimportant are the policies regarding:University graduate programs http://www.depaul.edu/university-catalog/academic- handbooks/graduate/graduate- academic-policies/Pages/default.aspxCollege of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences graduateprograms and- fault.aspxAcademic integrity aching/academic- integrity/Pages/default.aspxTechnology out/Pages/policies.aspxHuman subjects in research s/irb/policies- procedures/Pages/default.aspxInstitutional compliance http://policies.depaul.edu
RFMS Student Handbook 8IV. Graduation RequirementsCatalog yearGraduate students at DePaul University should expect to complete the degreerequirements described in the university catalog during the term that they matriculate.If these requirements change after a student matriculates, the student may petition thedepartmental director of graduate programs to apply more recent requirements.CourseworkAll students in the MS in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies must complete atleast 48.5 quarter credit hours of coursework, distributed as follows: FMS 401: Asylum and Refugee Law and Policy (4.5qh)FMS 402: Pro-seminar in Forced Migration (4qh)FMS 403: International Human Rights and Policy (4qh)FMS 404: International Conflict Management (4qh)FMS 405: Public Health and Forced Migration (4qh) FMS 411: International Dimensions of Public Service (4qh)FMS 418: Refugee Trauma and Mental Health (4qh)FMS 419: Humanitarian Logistics (4qh)FMS 450/490: Internship, Practicum I and II (8qh)2 Open Electives (8qh)The two elective courses must be courses relevant to the student’s particular fieldof study and/or used for professional purposes. It may be a language course.Students interested in any of these options should contact the program director foradditional information. All of these options require approval, in writing, by students’faculty advisors and the program director Email messages from faculty advisors andthe program director are sufficient to document written approval.
RFMS Student Handbook 9The typical schedule for any full-time student in the MS program for Refugee &Forced Migration Studies is:QuarterFirst YearSecond YearFMS 402 - Pro-seminar inForced MigrationFMS 411 - InternationalDimensions of Public ServiceFMS 403 - InternationalHuman Rights PolicyOpen ElectiveFMS 401 - Asylum andRefugee Law and PolicyFMS 418 - Refugee Trauma andMental HealthFMS 404 - InternationalConflict ManagementOpen ElectiveFallWinterFMS 405 - Public Health andFMS 450 - Practicum IForced MigrationSpringFMS 419 - HumanitarianLogisticsFMS 490 - Practicum IIIncomplete and research gradesWhen exceptional circumstances (such as serious illness, job relocation, or naturaldisaster) prevent a student from completing a course by the announced end of thecourse, the student may request a grade of “Incomplete” (IN) from the instructor of acourse. The decision to issue a grade of “Incomplete” rests with the instructor.Students must request a grade of “Incomplete” in writing (such as via email) to theinstructor.
R F M S S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k 10The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences also provides an optional form fordocumenting such requests. Visit udent-support/forms/Pages/incomplete- grade.aspx.Any student who receives a grade of “Incomplete” in a course must finish allcoursework necessary to receive a regular final grade within two quarters (excludingsummer) after the end of the course. At the end of the second quarter (summerexcluded) following the term in which the “Incomplete” was issued, a grade of “IN”grade will automatically convert to a grade of “F.”Faculty members have the prerogative to assign a completion date earlier than thetwo-quarter deadline and this date will supersede the two-quarter timeframe juststated. Once a grade of “IN” has become a grade of “F,” faculty members may notchange the grade without permission from the LAS Dean’s Office and Grade ExceptionCommittee.In circumstances where a student is making satisfactory progress in a course thatextends beyond the end of a given term or on a project that extends over more thanone term, the instructor may issue a grade of “Research in Progress” (R) for thecourse. With the exception of students completing a thesis project, “R” grades mustbe replaced with a regular final grade within one academic year or the “R” grade willautomatically became a final grade of “F.” An instructor may assign a completion dateearlier than the one-year deadline and this date will supersede the one-year deadline.Ordinarily no “R” grade may be changed after the deadline without the permission ofthe LAS Dean’s Office and Grade Exception Committee.Students who complete degree requirements, but have R grades from the previoustwelve months in their records, can elect to receive the degree and change the “R”grade permanently to “Research, Graduated” (RG). No further change is possible for“RG” grades.For further information about policies regarding “Incomplete” and “Research inProgress” grades, students should consult the University Graduate Catalog.GPA requirementAll students in the MS program in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies mustmaintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a scale where 4.0 A) in allcoursework attempted in their degree programs. Students whose cumulative GPA intheir coursework falls below 3.0 are subject to “academic probation” and remain onprobation until they complete four more courses. If, after completing four morecourses, a student’s cumulative GPA does not rise above 3.0, the student may besubject to dismissal from the program.
R F M S S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k 11LAS college policy also includes the following general provisions: A grade of B– or higher must be earned to receive credit for any upper-levelundergraduate course (300 level) that has been approved to count toward the graduatedegree A grade of D or D is unacceptable for graduate credit, and if earned in a requiredcourse, the course must be repeated or substituted as directed by the director of thegraduate program D or D grades remain on the academic record and are calculated into the cumulativegrade point average.Further information is available in the section of the University graduate catalogfor LAS programs.
R F M S S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k 12InternshipAll students in the MS program in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies mustparticipate in a 300-hour international practicum or two different 150-hour domesticinternships in the spring quarter of their second year. This requirement is purposed togive students in the MS program greater hands on knowledge of work in the field ofrefugee aid. Each January, students will reach out to NGOs and other associations inorder to complete these practicums, usually in the form of internships. Theprospective internship sites will be listed for students on DePaul's Desire2Learnplatform. D2L will store all the materials students may need to apply for theinternships. Students may complete their practicum abroad or with a NGO not listedon D2L if they so choose but their faculty advisor and the program director must firstapprove the internship that they propose ahead of time, preferably by February the15th. Regardless of what kind of internship that the student ends up participating in,their direct supervisor will need to report the student’s progress to their faculty advisorat the end of their practicum. This report should demonstrate the student’s practicalapplication of their skills in a professional working environment in the field, preparingthem for work after they complete the program.All students should begin making arrangements for their practicums as soon aspossible after entering the MS program, in order to insure sufficient time to securean internship with an organization or in a field of work that they are interested inprofessionally.Time limits for graduationStudents completing the MS program “full-time” will do so by taking two courses perterm during the regular academic year (Autumn, Winter, and Spring). We discouragestudents from attempting to complete the program part time because this is a cohortbased /masters-programs.aspxPart-time students should know that the University will change their status to“discontinued” if they make no progress toward satisfying degree requirements forthree consecutive terms (including summers). Students reclassified as “discontinued”must seek readmission to their programs. For further information on these log/academic-handbooks/graduate/graduate- academic-policies/Pages/withdrawal-policy.aspx
R F M S S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k 13Applying to graduateAll students must complete a formal application, available online, in order to graduateand receive their degrees. DePaul University does not automatically recognizegraduation or award degrees without this formal application. Students must completethe application to graduate according to the following schedule.To receive a degree at the end ofComplete application byAutumn Quarter (November)October 1Winter Quarter (March)January 15Spring Quarter (June)February 1Summer Quarter (August)July 15Submitting the online application to graduate does not guarantee the award of adegree from DePaul University. Degree requirements are reviewed at the end of theexpected completion term indicated. A student can change the expected completionterm for any degree program prior to the last day of that term.For further information about applying to nts.aspx
R F M S S t u d e n t H a n d b o o k 14Earning degrees “with distinction”Students from the MS program in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies may earntheir degrees “with distinction” if they graduate with a cumulative grade point average(GPA) of 4.0 (on a scale where 4.0 A). To verify eligibility, students and their facultyadvisors should contact the departmental advisor and the departmental director ofgraduate studies before the deadline to apply for graduation (see the timetableabove).V.Student ResourcesAcademic support servicesAcademic support services exist to help students make adequate academic progress,or, when they can’t do that because of circumstances out of their control, point them tosystems and processes that help them overcome life hurdles. For information,guidance, or referrals, contact the departmental academic advisor.Adult student servicesDePaul’s Office of Adult, Veteran, and Commuter Student Affairs produces programsthroughout the year on a number of topics; these serve either the entire adultundergraduate and graduate/professional student populations or targeted subpopulations. For details, bout/departments/Pages/adultveteran- commuter-student-services.aspxCounselingAt some time in our lives, each of us may feel overwhelmed and may need helpmanaging life's challenges. According to the National Institutes of Mental Health, morethan 30 million Americans need help dealing with feelings and issues that seem beyondtheir control— problems with a marriage or relationship, a family situation, job loss,depression, stress, burnout, substance abuse, or death of a loved one. Counseling andcare servi
RFMS Student Handbook 2 I. Introduction The Refugee and Forced Migration Studies program at DePaul University offers a Master of Science
